Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Killing `Em with Kindness

The United States, by allowing the influx of poor Mexican workers, is clearly underwriting Mexican corruption and perpetuating a cycle of poverty and misgovernment. Would we accept this from the new government in Iraq? The President believes in ``the yearning of the human spirit`` and thinks that establishing a prosperous democracy in the heart of Islam will usher in a joyous era of peace and plenty, yet he seems content to enable our friendly southern neighbor to continue hopelessly corrupt practices. What of the yearning of the Mexican spirit? He seems to think the answer to that is to allow them all entry into this country. Doesn`t he see the inherent cruelty in a policy which makes vagabonds and criminals of otherwise decent, hard working people? Does the President really believe that these people WANT to wander about like the Israelites in the desert, searching for the opportunity to work for spare change? The President`s immigration policy is immoral, plain and simple; it does not improve the life of anyone in Mexico, it merely acts as a band-aid for the migrant, and it hurts the American citizens. It is international welfare, or, perhaps more accurately, an international soup line. It exacerbates the core problem, which lies in Mexico.

The Left in this country was puzzled by the growth of the Underclass, and their solution was more welfare, which of course enlarged that underclass. The only way to end this cycle was to turn the tap, shut down the flow of money to people who found it easier to live off the dole than earn their own way. We now know how destructive welfare was to the people it was intended to help; it destroyed the black family (and many other families) led to drug abuse, ignorance, and a continuing cycle of poverty. Similarly, by allowing Mexicans unfettered entry into this country to find work, we are creating similar disincentives to fixing the social and economic problems in Mexico, and are encouraging bringing Mexico here; rather than lifting the poor migrants up, we are ensuring they stay down. This, like the welfare state which gave us so many societal ills, is unacceptable.Just as we did with welfare, we have to employ tough love-we are killing them with kindness as things stand.

This from Deroy Murdoch, courtesy of the Federalist Patriot:

"South of the border, officials consider Uncle Sam responsible for nurturing Mexico's poor. Thus, they demand, America must welcome illegal Mexican immigrants. Far be it for Mexico's leaders to improve conditions below the Rio Grande so that their constituents might stay home... Registering a Mexican business takes 58 days, versus 48 in China, 27 in Chile, 22 in South Korea, and five here. During nearly two months of procedures, Mexican officials have numerous opportunities to encourage 'tips' to speed things. Mexico's Private Sector Center for Economic Studies calculates that, in 2004, 34% of businesses paid 'extra-official' sums to functionaries and parliamentarians totaling $11.2 billion... Among 159 nations Transparency International surveyed last year, Mexico is the 65th most honest place to do business, tied with Ghana. While America is 17th (a pathetic showing, incidentally, for Earth's leading economy), Chile and Japan tie for 21st, while South Korea and Italy tie for 40th. Businessmen in this poll perceive even Cuba, No. 59, as less corrupt than Mexico... While arguments rage over erecting a wall on the border, perhaps Americans can agree on this: Every few miles, Washington should install huge mirrors. They should face south, so Mexican officials can reflect on the root causes of Mexico's misfortune."